Chase Clymer never set out to become an expert in eCommerce conversion rate optimization (CRO). In fact, his journey started in music. He spent years touring in bands, chasing his passion, and living life on the road.
But along the way, something clicked. He realized that the skills he had developed—marketing, branding, and digital presence—were just as valuable in the eCommerce world as they were in the music industry.
Fast forward to today, and Chase is the co-founder of Electric Eye, a Shopify optimization agency that helps brands grow revenue by improving their website experience, design, and conversion strategy. He’s also the host of Honest eCommerce, a podcast where he interviews multi-million-dollar brand founders to uncover how they scaled their stores.
In this post, i’m break down his exact process for optimizing Shopify stores, improving conversions, and taking brands from six to eight figures without increasing ad spend.
Step 1: The Shopify Diagnostic – Identifying Your Store’s Weak Points
Most Shopify merchants focus on traffic growth before they fix website experience. That’s a mistake.
Chase and his team use a Shopify diagnostic process to analyze the most critical pages on a store. Their goal? Find the leaks, fix the friction points, and increase conversions.
What They Focus On:
- Homepage – Does the site instantly communicate what’s being sold?
- Collection Page – Is it easy to browse and filter products?
- Product Page (PDP) – Does it remove fears, uncertainties, and doubts?
- Cart & Checkout – Are there unnecessary steps causing drop-off?
If a brand is spending $10K to $100K per month on ads but visitors land on a confusing, slow, or cluttered site, they’re losing thousands in potential revenue.
🚀 Pro Tip: Run a heatmap tool like Hotjar to track where customers drop off and use that data to improve high-exit pages.
Step 2: Homepage Optimization – The First 3 Seconds Matter
Most Shopify founders overcomplicate their homepage. They add too much content, long-winded mission statements, and even carousel sliders (which Chase calls a conversion killer).
What Works Instead:
✅ Clear messaging above the fold – Tell customers exactly what you sell in 5 seconds or less.
✅ Strong visuals – Product images > fancy graphics.
✅ Navigation that makes sense – Remove unnecessary menu clutter.
✅ Trust signals – Badges, reviews, and testimonials boost credibility.
🚀 Pro Tip: Use the “Caveman Test.” If a stranger can’t understand what you sell in three seconds, your homepage needs work.
Step 3: Product Page (PDP) – The Make-or-Break Moment
Your product page is where visitors decide to buy or leave. If your PDP doesn’t address their concerns, you’re leaving money on the table.
Fix These PDP Mistakes:
🚨 Unclear product descriptions – Customers should instantly understand what the product does and why they need it.
🚨 Weak images – Use multiple angles, zoom-in features, and even videos to showcase the product.
🚨 Lack of urgency – Countdown timers, limited stock notifications, and shipping deadlines boost conversions.
🚨 No social proof – Reviews and user-generated content (UGC) increase trust and reduce hesitation.
🚀 Pro Tip: If your conversion rate on mobile is 1% lower than desktop, your PDP isn’t mobile-optimized. Check Google Analytics to compare conversion rates by device.
Step 4: Cart & Checkout – Reducing Drop-Offs
If a customer has added a product to their cart, they’re ready to buy. But most Shopify stores lose sales because of unnecessary checkout friction.
How to Optimize Your Cart & Checkout:
✅ Enable side-cart functionality – Avoid sending customers to a separate cart page.
✅ Pre-fill checkout fields – Reduce friction by auto-populating saved addresses.
✅ Offer Shop Pay & one-click checkout – Faster checkout = fewer abandoned carts.
✅ Use cart upsells – Offer bundles, complementary products, or subscriptions before they check out.
🚀 Pro Tip: Add a progress bar in checkout. Customers are more likely to finish their purchase when they see how close they are to completion.
Step 5: Mobile Optimization – The 80/20 Rule
If 80% of your traffic is mobile but your conversion rate is twice as high on desktop, you have a major opportunity.
Mobile Optimization Tips:
✅ Ensure fast load times – Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check performance.
✅ Make buttons thumb-friendly – CTA buttons should be big, bold, and easy to tap.
✅ Simplify navigation – Reduce unnecessary links in the mobile menu.
✅ Test your checkout on mobile – Many store owners never complete a purchase on their own site via mobile.
🚀 Pro Tip: Go to Shopify Analytics > Sessions by Device to see how desktop vs. mobile conversions compare. If mobile is underperforming, fix it first.
Step 6: Post-Purchase Upsells – Maximizing AOV
Want to increase your average order value (AOV) without increasing ad spend? Post-purchase upsells are your best friend.
Best Post-Purchase Upsells:
✅ “Add One More” Upsell – If a customer buys one, offer a second at a discount.
✅ Bundled Products – Offer a complementary product with a one-click add-on.
✅ Subscription Conversions – If you sell a consumable product, offer a subscription at checkout.
🚀 Pro Tip: Use tools like Rebuy or AfterSell to set up post-purchase upsells within Shopify’s native checkout.
Final Takeaways: Scaling Your Shopify Store the Smart Way
Most Shopify brands focus too much on traffic growth and not enough on conversion rate optimization. But as Chase and his team at Electric Eye have proven, the biggest revenue gains come from fixing what’s already broken.
Your Shopify CRO Playbook:
🔥 Step 1: Run a Shopify Diagnostic – Identify the weakest points in your funnel.
🔥 Step 2: Optimize Your Homepage – Make your value prop clear within 3 seconds.
🔥 Step 3: Improve Product Pages – Remove doubts, highlight urgency, and add trust signals.
🔥 Step 4: Fix Your Cart & Checkout – Reduce friction and increase upsells.
🔥 Step 5: Focus on Mobile – The majority of traffic is mobile—optimize for it first.
🔥 Step 6: Use Post-Purchase Upsells – Increase AOV without spending more on ads.
Follow these steps, and you’ll scale your Shopify store without relying solely on paid ads.
Now, over to you—what’s your biggest Shopify optimization challenge? Drop a comment below!
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